1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to vehicles and, in particular, to controlling movement of vehicles. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for directing the movement of vehicles using an energy beam, such as a beam of light.
2. Background
Vehicles are used for many different purposes. For example, vehicles are used to move cargo, equipment, people, and other items. Further, vehicles are also used in non-destructive evaluation (NDE) testing. For example, a vehicle may be used in performing non-destructive evaluation testing of an object, such as an aircraft. Non-destructive evaluation testing of an aircraft may include performing any number of inspections selected from, for example, without limitation, eddy current testing, ultrasonic testing, image analysis, and/or other suitable types of testing.
Typically, the vehicles used in non-destructive evaluation testing of aircraft have a size that allows the vehicles to move on the surface of the aircraft. These vehicles may be configured to carry testing equipment for performing different types of non-destructive evaluation inspections. For example, these vehicles may take the form of robotic crawlers. Robotic crawlers may move using wheels, continuous tracks, legs, and/or other suitable types of movement mechanisms.
With this type of non-destructive evaluation testing, the robotic crawlers may be controlled to move over different areas of the aircraft to perform the desired testing for those areas. The robotic crawlers and/or other vehicles used to perform the inspections may use control systems that have a capability to provide the desired movement for these vehicles. Oftentimes, these control systems are located on-board the vehicles. On-board control systems may include sensors, such as, for example, cameras, navigation sensors, and/or other suitable types of sensors on-board the vehicles. These on-board sensors may increase the weight and cost of the vehicles more than desired.
Therefore, it would advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.